A man who staged his own death and fled overseas to dodge sexual assault charges has been found guilty of raping his former fiancée in Utah. Nicholas Rossi, once claiming to be an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight, was brought back to the U.S. after a dramatic extradition from Scotland. Now convicted in a 2008 attack, he awaits sentencing while facing another rape trial next month.
Guilty Verdict Delivered
After a three-day trial, Nicholas Rossi was convicted Wednesday of first-degree felony rape. The accuser and her parents took the stand, recounting events from over a decade ago. Rossi, who did not testify in his defense, faces a sentence ranging from five years to life in prison when he appears in court on October 20.
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Prosecutor Praises Survivor
“We are grateful to the survivor in this case for her willingness to come forward, years after this attack took place,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. “It took courage and bravery to take the stand and confront her attacker to hold him accountable.”
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Cold Case Breakthrough
Authorities identified Rossi in 2018 through a DNA match from a decade-old rape kit, part of Utah’s push to clear a backlog of untested evidence. The discovery revived a case long dormant, setting in motion an international manhunt.
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Years in Hiding
Rossi, born Nicholas Alahverdian in Rhode Island, fled the U.S. after returning to his home state. Claiming to have late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma, he was later reported dead in an online obituary in 2020. Friends and associates doubted the death, suspicions confirmed when he was arrested in a Scottish hospital in 2021 after staff recognized his tattoos from an Interpol alert.
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Victim’s Story
The victim testified that she met Rossi while recovering from a traumatic brain injury after responding to his Craigslist personal ad. The pair became engaged just two weeks later. She described him as “very charming” but also manipulative, recounting how he pressured her to cover expenses, from car repairs to engagement rings, and even lent him $1,000 to avoid eviction.
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Night of the Attack
According to her testimony, Rossi raped her in his bedroom one night after she drove him home. She said she didn’t report the assault at the time due to her parents’ dismissive attitude. Years later, she decided to come forward after seeing news of another rape accusation against him.
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More Charges Ahead
Rossi is set to stand trial in September for allegedly raping another former girlfriend in 2008. Prosecutors claim the second victim had gone to his apartment to retrieve money she said he had stolen to buy a computer.